Hardy on how he's feeling: "As good as I have in a long time"

DUNEDIN, Fla. - Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy was spared today's trip to play the Blue Jays, his lineup return anticipated for Monday afternoon against the Red Sox in Sarasota. The back no longer is an issue for him. No spasms, no tightness, no doubts about his availability for opening day.

Asked this morning how he felt, Hardy replied, "As good as I have in a long time."

"The back, I haven't thought about it since I've been back on the field," he added. "Everything else is where it needs to be."

Hardy hit his first spring training home run last night in a 6-3 win over the Twins. It also was his first game flanked by third baseman Manny Machado and second baseman Jonathan Schoop.

Hardy's back issues kept him off the field in the early days of camp, and Machado and Schoop left for the World Baseball Classic.

"It was fun," Hardy said. "It was a little different atmosphere. It was more, I guess, what we're used to. I don't have to move them. I feel like they know where to play all the time. It was just easy. A lot less for me to worry about.

"It was good seeing them out there. Same old young guys having all the fun that they always do and joking around with each other. It was good."

The Orioles brought the following players from minor league camp: pitchers Michael Zouzalik, Tim Berry, Stefan Crichton, Jimmy Yacabonis and Cody Satterwhite; catchers Austin Wynns and Stuart Levy; infielders Adrian Marin, Sean Coyle, Alex Castellanos and Jeff Kemp; and outfielders Randolph Gassaway, Cedric Mullins and DJ Stewart.

Fourteen would appear to be the camp high this spring, with the other 15 players on the trip coming from the major league complex.

For the Blue Jays
Melvin Upton Jr. LF
Russell Martin DH
Jarrod Saltalamacchia C
Justin Smoak 1B
Darwin Barney 2B
Ryan Goins SS
Josh Palacios RF
J.B. Woodman CF
Shane Opitz 3B

Francisco Liriano LHP

The Jays are listing relievers Jason Grilli, Joe Smith and J.P. Howell.